Wrench.



K. LEISSLE & P. BAGH.

WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED 1 12. 16, 1914.

1,108,591 Patented Aug.25,1914.

" UNITED STATES OFFICE.

KARL LEISSLE AND FR A N'K BACH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS WRENCH.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A110. 25, 1914.

Application filed April 16, 1914. Serial No. 832,269.

. To all whom it may concern -Be it known that we, KARL Linssnn and FRANK EACH, respectively a subject of the Emperor of Germany and a citizen of the United States, both residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful. Im-

provements in Wrenches, of which the folhaving an adjustable 'jaw, as used in wrenchesfor engaging round objects, such as pipes, or the like. and are commonly known as pipe wrenches, and with slight modifications, without changing the character of our invention, adapted for engaging angular objects. such as bolt heads and nuts and wherein theadjustable jaw may quickly be moved to selected position to engage an object andautomatically lock itself in place against displacement due to stress that may be applied to the jaws during the operation of turning the object. I

.\nother. and more specific object. of our invention is to provide a clamping means,

in addition to the aw locking means. adapted and arranged to move tne adjustable jaw slightly closer to the fixed jaw, after locking the latter against retraction. and thereby grasp and hold the intermediate object firmlv between the jaws, so that itwill not fall from them when not otherwise supported.

Other and further objects of our invention will be readilv understood from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawing. wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wrench. Fig. 2 shows the wrench turned to an angle of 90 degrees and showing an edge elevation thereof. Fig. 3 shows aside elevation after the clamping eccentric has been moved to push the jaws closer together to clamp the object that may be contained between the jaws. as will be hereinafter explained. Fig.

4 is a fragment of the wrench. showing parts in sections. Fig. 5 is a transverse section. taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 6 is a ratchet pawl for. locking the movable aw to the shank of the wrench. Fig. 7 is a bushing and spacing sleeve for the movable eccentric and Fig. 8 is a. movable eccentric adapted to be used for moving the adjustable jaw into closer relation with the fixed jaw to clamp the object.

In all the views the-same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts.

, 1-0 is the handle. or'shank' of the wrench,

carrying on its forward end a fixed jaw-11 and provided with ratchet teeth on its inner edge 12. The movable 13 is freely slidable upon the shank, or handle 10, pressed ratchet pawl llis provided with one or more ratchet teeth 15. that are adapted to engage the teeth 12 of the handle 10. and it is furthermore provided with a thumb piece extension 16, counterbored as at 17, to accommodate an open helical spring 18. that has bearing against a portion of the jaw, as-

at 19, to normally hold theteeth 15 of the pawl in contact with the ratchet teeth 12. The ratchet pawl 14 is bored large, as at 20,

'21 is carried -on a knurled lever which may be. and preferably is, an integral part thereof.

.The operation of the device is as follows :-lVhen an objectis inserted between the jaws 11 and 13. the latter may be shoved up against the object and it will be automatically locked in this position. by the pawl 14, the teeth of which engage the ratchet teeth 12 of thehandle 1.0. the pawl being yieldingly held in this position by the spring 18. This will lock the movable jaw against retraction or displacement. After this is done the tool may be 'used as an ordinary wrench and the adjustable jaw 13 will not be displaced by the stress that may be exerted due'to the effort of turning the object that is contained between the jaws. If it is desired to hold the object tightly between the jaws. such as a nut. or the like. so that it. will not drop from the jaws. the eccentric lever 25 is moved from the position A spring I so for insertion of the clampingeccentrlc 21, which has bearing on the pin 22 that passes shown in Fig. 1 to approximately the position shown in Fig. 3, at which time the heavier part of the eccentric 21 will hear shank or handle 10, at any time, back and forth by placing the thumb upon the end 16 of the ratchet lever and depressing it against the resiliency of the spring 18, thereby litting the ratchet teeth lz'r troin the ratchet 12.

this means the jaw 18 may be quickly brought up againstv the object, contained between the jaws, after which the jaws may be made to firmly, clasp-the object by moving the eccentric lever 25 from the position shown in Fig. 1 toward the position shown in Fig. 3. The mo'tement of the lever 25, to the latter position, pushes thejaw 13 forward at distance,'in practice equal to about of an inch, or the width of one tooth which is sufiicient to cause firm and unyielding contact to be made with the object,

such as a nut or-the like, so that'the tool may be used freely without causing the nut to Tall therefrom. 'hen the tool is properly designed for a pipe wrench it may be made to grasp and hold a small piece 0t pipe, a nipple or the like, in asimilar manner.

' While we have herein shown a. single embodiment of our invention for the purpose of clear disclosure it is evident thatch-angers may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claini is 1. A. wrench; comprising ashank and ajaw aflixed to one end thereof; ratchet teeth, formed upon one side of the shank; a second jaw, slidable upon said shank; an eccentric, rotatably secured atits axis in the slidable jaw; a pawl, journaled upon said eccentric and adapted to engage said ratchet teeth; a

thumb piece, projecting from said pawl, and resilient means for normallv'holding said pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth.

2. A wrench, comprising a shank and a jaw atfixedto one end thereof; ratchet teeth, formed upon one side of the shank; a second jaw, slidable upon said shank; an eccentric,

rotatably securedat its axis in the slidahle jaw; a pawhjournaled upon said eccentric and. having a projection at one side adapted to engage said ratchet teeth; athumb piece, projecting from said pawl at the side opposite to that which engages with the ratchet teeth, and an open helical spring interposed between said thumb-piece and said movable jaw. substantially as and for the purpose set forth. j In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands. v

KARL LEISSLE. FRANK BACH. In the presence of- STANLEY W. Coon, MARY F. ALLEN. 

